The invention concerns a device for cooling the engine of a motor vehicle and for air conditioning the passenger compartment of the vehicle, comprising
a) a heat-conveying fluid first circuit including a radiator for cooling the engine and a heat exchanger through which flows air to be directed into the passenger compartment, and PA1 b) a refrigerant fluid second circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit and an evaporator, the condenser and the evaporator being adapted to transfer heat from a first medium in contact with the evaporator to a second medium in contact with the condenser via the refrigerant fluid to cool said flow of air. PA1 The supply means enable progressive adjustment of the flowrates of the hot and cooled fluids. PA1 The supply means comprise a valve connected to the engine, to the evaporator and to the heat exchanger. PA1 The condenser receives a fraction of the flow of fluid leaving the cooling radiator. PA1 The evaporator receives a fraction of the flow of fluid leaving the heat exchanger, which fraction can vary in the range 0% to 100%. PA1 The complementary fractions of the flows of fluid leaving the cooling radiator and the heat exchanger are sent to the engine. PA1 Of the fractions leaving the cooling radiator, the fraction sent to the evaporator is cooled more than the fraction sent to the engine. PA1 The heat-conveying fluid leaving the condenser is sent to the engine. PA1 The components of the second circuit are in the immediate vicinity of each other. PA1 The components of the second circuit are in the immediate vicinity of the engine. PA1 At least the condenser and the evaporator are combined in the form of a module. PA1 A refrigerant fluid reservoir is integrated into the condenser.
In a device of the above kind the first medium and the second medium are conventionally the external atmosphere and said flow of air, respectively. The condenser is generally at the front end of the vehicle so as to receive directly the flow of atmospheric air caused by the movement of the vehicle. The evaporator is disposed in the passenger compartment, within an air conditioning unit, so that the flow of air to be directed into the passenger compartment flows through it in series or in parallel with the heat exchanger.
The compressor is usually driven by the engine of the vehicle and consequently is located near the engine.
The components of the refrigerant fluid circuit are therefore dispersed, which necessitates long connecting pipes in the engine compartment of the vehicle, which are costly and introduce the risk of leaks. The pipes must be removed to enable work to be carried out in the engine compartment, and this necessitates refilling of the circuit.
The aim of the invention is to remedy the above drawbacks.